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Rocky Mountain shoppers bring their own bags
Regionally 2,500,000 plastic bags were kept out of the environment since last April

BOULDER, Colo. (April 6, 2009) – Eliminating the use of approximately 2.5 million plastic bags and donating nearly $200,000 to local schools through the “Small Change Adds Up” program over the last year, Whole Foods Market Rocky Mountain Region contributes to the store’s national tally of saving an estimated 150 million plastic bags from landfills since last Earth Day. One year after Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ: WFMI) became the first U.S. supermarket to eliminate disposable plastic grocery bags at the checkout, the Company has seen the amount of reusable bag use triple.

“The shoppers of the Rocky Mountain Region have truly responded to our plastic bag ban, which benefits the environment and our local community,” said Robin Burton, Green Mission Coordinator for the Rocky Mountain Region. “Through the Small Change Adds Up program shoppers can either redeem a 10 cent discount or donate the 10 cents to a school for each reusable shopping bag they use. Because of their dedication our schools have funded a variety of green initiatives such as solar arrays and recycling programs.”

In an effort to help protect the environment and conserve resources, Whole Foods Market decided last Earth Day to eliminate plastic bags, a move that aimed to protect nature and wildlife and reduce litter by encouraging customers to bring reusable bags when they shop for groceries.

“During Ocean Conservancy’s 2008 International Coastal Cleanup, 1.4 million plastic bags were found littering our oceans, lakes and rivers,” said Dianne Sherman, Director of the International Coastal Cleanup. “Trash travels. Even if we live thousands of miles inland, our actions have a profound effect on the ocean. A bag can blow from a picnic table; wash down a storm drain into a river and wind up harming or killing sea turtles, birds or other marine life. Trash is one of the most pervasive – but solvable -- pollution problems facing our oceans and waterways. Whole Foods Market and their customers are demonstrating how simple lifestyle changes can make a sea change.”

Whole Foods Market sells a variety of reusable bags, ranging from the stylish, affordable “A Better Bag” – 79 and 99 cents, depending on size – with 80 percent of its content coming from recycled plastic bottles and currently featuring a Sheryl Crow-created charcoal sketch of a tree to the $29.99 cotton and burlap FEED 100 bag. A FEED bag purchase helps provide 100 nutritious lunches to hungry Rwandan school children through the United Nations World Food Program’s School Feeding Program.

Whole Foods Market continually evaluates each department to find ways to improve packaging efforts. The Company is currently seeking alternatives to plastic bags in its bulk, produce, bakery and seafood departments and is working with vendors to eliminate Styrofoam packaging in shipments. In 2007, Whole Foods Market introduced all-natural fiber packaging at its salad and food bars that comes from plants that grow wild or are cultivated and harvested annually.

Learn more about other earth-friendly initiatives at Whole Foods Market at blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/category/green-action, and find more information on Earth Month activities can be found at wholefoodsmarket.com/earthmonth.

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